This invention relates to seating units, in particular to a seating unit construction providing for staggered seats for passenger compartments in vehicles such as aircraft, or the like.
A conventional seating unit typically has a frame construction which carries two or more seats each including a seat cushion with an adjustable backrest. An armrest is located on each side of the seat cushion so that one armrest exists between every two adjacent seat cushions. The seating unit of two, three, etc., seats is so constructed that the cushions, armrests and backrests are aligned with one another forming a couch-type arrangement for abreast passenger seating. The units are mounted in floor seat tracks, in rows across the cabin or compartment in a configuration forming one or more longitudinal aisles for passageway and seating access purposes.
In a novelty search the following references of interest were found and are discussed here for further background.
U.S. Pat. No. 87,216, U.S. Pat. No. 338,895, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,981,314 each relate to a single seat or chair which has an adjustable back and moveable seat cushion for conversion into a sofa or into a reclining mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,205,775 relates to opposed seats in a train compartment wherein the seats and backrests may slide towards one another so that a bed is formed.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,471,001 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,643,236 relate to a forward car seat which can be moved behind the driver's seat or folded forward to obtain access to the rear compartment of the car.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,271,601 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,683 relate to extensions for mattresses and U.S. Pat. No. 2,521,339 relates to an aircraft seat wherein the seat cushion is a parachute.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,632 relates to an aircraft seating unit of three seats wherein the center seat may be folded forward for conversion into a table between the seats on each side.
Of particular interest is U.S. Pat. No. 2,051,703 which relates to a front seat arrangement in a small airplane cockpit where the shape and width of the nose or cockpit structure demands a squeezed-in seating layout. The patent teaches a two occupant adjacent seating situation in the nose section of the vehicle where the pilot is positioned forward of the adjacent seat. The arrangement is not related to pitch distance (pitch is legroom distance between seats in forward direction), armrest, legroom, and aisle access considerations.
Also, these prior art situations do not relate to an overall system and layout of a 50-500 passenger airplane seat arrangement where several rows forming 4 to 14 or more abreast seats for passengers, divided by several aisles, are disposed densely together in the most feasible, economic, efficient but uncomfortable mode.
Seating arrangements in aircraft are very important for the aircraft manufacturing industry. Customers or airlines who buy airplanes from the manufacturer are highly interested in the seating arrangements of airplanes since their business demands that the passenger is satisfied in travel and comfort. For instance, a seating arrangement having a six-seat-abreast configuration could be arranged in rows of two seats forming two aisles through the passenger compartment or could be arranged in three-seat rows forming a single aisle between rows in the compartment. It appears that most airlines prefer a two-row aisle configuration since it creates a more spacious looking compartment. Accordingly, it will be understood that an airplane seating arrangement can be very important and that improvements herein may produce a significant change in airplane seat arrangements for the future which will be beneficial to many airlines and passengers.